I describe my career journey from a young girl in Cameroon, West Africa, to a trailblazing geophysicist to my current role as dean. I chronicle my time as a student, the transition to being an early career faculty, launching my research career, and ultimately finding my way to administration. Along the way I helped pioneer biogeophysics as a subdiscipline in geophysics while simultaneously maintaining an international research program in continental rift tectonics. I also describe the many intersectionalities in my life including being the first Black woman in many spaces, being a champion for student success, developing a diverse talent pipeline by enhancing diversity in the geosciences, and navigating academic job searches as part of a dual-career couple. Finally, I acknowledge all those who helped shape my career including the many students I had the opportunity to mentor.▪Many underrepresented minority geoscientists lack the social capital and professional networks critical for their success.▪Geoscience departments must be intentional and deliberate in promoting and ensuring more inclusive workplace environments.▪Dual-career couples remain a major challenge, impacting retention and recruitment of top talent; universities should provide resources to alleviate this challenge.▪Biogeophysics has untapped potential for advancing understanding of subsurface biogeochemical processes and the search for life in extreme environments.▪To date, considerable speculation remains regarding the fundamental geodynamic processes that initiate and sustain the evolution of magma-deficient rifts.

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Estella Atekwana：自传笔记


我描述了我的职业生涯，从西非喀麦隆的一名年轻女孩，到一名开拓性的地球物理学家，再到我目前的院长。我记录了我作为学生的时光，过渡到早期职业教师，开始我的研究生涯，并最终找到通往行政部门的道路。在此过程中，我帮助开创了生物地球物理学作为地球物理学的一个分支学科，同时维持了大陆裂谷构造学的国际研究计划。我还描述了我生活中的许多交叉点，包括成为许多领域的第一位黑人女性、成为学生成功的拥护者、通过增强地球科学的多样性来开发多元化的人才管道，以及作为双重职业夫妇的一部分进行学术求职。最后，我感谢所有帮助塑造我职业生涯的人，包括我有机会指导的许多学生。▪许多代表性不足的少数族裔地球科学家缺乏对他们的成功至关重要的社会资本和专业网络。▪地球科学部门必须有意识地、深思熟虑地促进和确保更具包容性的工作环境。▪双重职业夫妇仍然是一个重大挑战，影响了顶尖人才的保留和招聘;大学应提供资源来缓解这一挑战。▪生物地球物理学在促进对地下生物地球化学过程的理解和在极端环境中寻找生命方面具有尚未开发的潜力。▪迄今为止，关于启动和维持岩浆缺乏裂谷演变的基本地球动力学过程，仍然存在相当大的猜测。